DOJ argues that any delay in deciding the appeal ‘will make it increasingly difficult to unwind the merger,’ if the government wins

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department on Wednesday sought to fast-track its appeal of the court decision allowing AT&T Inc. to buy Time Warner Inc., while offering the first hints of its legal arguments for the next phase of proceedings.

The department filed its appeal last week, a month after U.S. District Judge Richard Leon rejected the government’s antitrust claims against the more than $80 billion deal, which AT&T and Time Warner have since completed.

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